Coping seal



Aug. 21, 192s. 1,681,758

T. WIGHT CORING SEAL Filed Jan. 26, 1927 Patented Aug. 2l, 1928.

UNITED STAT-Es PATE-@NT OFFICE.,

'rIIoMAs WIGIIT, or IIAIvsAs CITY, MISSOURI.

Application filed January 26, 1927. Serial No. 163,659.

My invention relates to coping on fire Walls and more particularly to coping seals designed to seal and guard the joints of a coping course to prevent intrusionof moisturc.

In present practice the top course of a firewall comprises usually a course oi:` stone or tile often ornamental in design, the joints of which are cemented and therefore'require some protection from Weather softliat'mois` ture may not disintegrate the mortar or percolate interiorly of the tire, Wall. f Many expedients have vbeen restored to in orderto provide a sealingmeans for this situation. Sometimes theblocks orcoping are provided with integrall joint shields, each block having an extended and projectedlip under Whichtlie plane `edge"`o`f an adjacent block is laid, the lip constitutinga guard toprotect the mortared jointure." This is an en# pensive process sincevaste ifsy involved in providing the projection lip which must be raised above'the plane O the coping'as Well aslaterally extended," and hazard is involved of breaking the lip and so rendering 'useless the'.particular coping`block. A"Another ex# pedient is the provision of a metal coverffer the entire coping laid on top "ofthe coping blocks andot' course, preferablynt visible 3" from the street or other position I"ezce'ptfon a level,y with or higher than fthelre wall.

The desirability `of providing anleilect'ive means of sealing the joints Vbetvvecn"coping blocks extends to the situation f allintel or Window sill stone :or Aof similar decora` tive course provided orgbuildings having briclrouter Walls and even for buildings con# structed of concrete ,and for which coping courses are provided that have no structural necessity to call them forth;`

II purpose to provide a means osealing-the joints between coping blocks'ina course laid on a Wall, which Will avoid thedis'ad'- vantages of the expedientsf` referred to including the disadvantage of iinsightliness of a continuous metal cover a coping course and hazard of rust stains running down from'the metal over the face of the ivall, andthaty will provide an*V additional decorative element rather than a handicap to the appearance of a structure."

I provide in accomplishingfthis purpose a metal 'strip liaving'depending, longitudinally bent-inportions and designed to be laid transversely'of the coping Wall, the edges of the strip resting nl'adjacent ends of coping blocks and a strip secured to the coping by bolts projected through the strip and lengaged with the adjacent under edgesoithe coping block or in the mortar.

My device Will be more particularly de scribed' with references to the drawings'in which:

Fig. l is a perspective; view of a section of fire Wall having coping equipped with my devicef Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the strip element of my device. v Fig. 3 4is a perspective View from beneath my device showing the longitudinal lianges thatguard the joints `from the moisturel Fig; 4l `is a cross section'on the line 1 -4, Fig; 1,- through a yconiiectint'g bolt, showing adjacent coping blocks equipped with ymy dev1ce.`

Fig 5 is a cross section similar'to Fig. 4, but remote from'the connecting bolts.

Referring in detail to the drawings:`

l designates a 'lire Wall, 2 coping blocks arranged in a inishingcourse thereon, 3 the mortar joints between the blocks 2, and 4 my device comprisingawxnetal strip 5 covering thehorizontal exposure ofthe'joint and 'having apertures 6 for receivingbolts 7 projected through the joints 3 and Wherewith the strip issecured in "engagement" with the blocks to protect the joint.' l f i Abolt 7 is assumedto be erected adjacent a laid block," the b9lt`-liea"d 8`set iny the mortar spready on the topk of theliireivall l, is flanges projecting undery the edge of 4a coping block, anda successive coping block laid to-r engage thel flange also". The strips 5"'Inay be installedfasthe Work of laying the coping proL gresses, or anytime aiterrtheivall is finished, since 'the protrudingbelts, adequately anchoredfare availabley for engagementivith the strips and application oi thc'nutsl) Whereby' tiglitcontact oiithe Ikstrips againstthe kupper surface of the blocks: is attained, for

sealing'the joints. I provide a; particularly novel structure for my strip "to enhance the sealing effect andto produce fafsealer having qualities of permanence,l stability and'eliciency.` The sidesIO of the strip vare doivnbent,y preferably `from longitudinal lines spaced freni tlie"`median line to produce a ridge 11, andapertures 6 'in said portion' are providedfwith upstruck guards 12; The strip receives the bolts 6 `by means `of's'aid apertures, the nuts 9 are applied to the bolts and threaded thereon, rest ing on the ridge 11, compression of the strip by the continued threading of the nuts forc ing the aforesaid tight contact ofthe strip with the blocks, and tending to spread the strip laterally, a function that has peculiarly useful qualities because of features of structure now to be described. n

The downbent sides .10 are folded inwardly and upwardly substantially adjacent the sides, forming portions which may be described as bearing arms and are designated 13. 'Ihe edges are then downwardly bent to a position relatively at right .Y

angles with the said arms, and lproducing flanges 14. The construction is such that upon the downbending of the said flanges, the edges thereof project below the horizontal plane of the lines on which the sides are bent to produce thebearing arms 18. The result is that when the ystrip isk positioned on adjacent blocks, the edges ofthe flanges rest on the surfaces of the blocks, and the exterior limits of the sides are spaced therefrom, asV clearly disclosed in F ig. 4l. The flanges therefore constitute a sealing factor of a strip in functioning position; and, as observable from the drawings the spacing of the bearing arms 13 is sufficient to admit a packing element 15 which will later be referred to and be more fully described.

The strips as shown in Fig. 1 installed on coping blocks having tapered surfaces 16 are bent at 17 to conform to such tapered surfaces. The ends 18 of the strips are bent over the edges of the blocks, providing protection for the joints at the outer edges of the blocks. I have illustrated a common coping construction having blocks with 2- way wash surfaces as most familiar in t-he art, though I will use my device also Ywith a form that I consider preferable, namely, a coping having a 1-wayv Wash, that is,fthe

upper surface ofthe coping sloping to theY roof, to avoid front surface contamination by draining, overhanging icicles, etc.

As an additional packing andsealing factor I provide a plastic cement element .19' which is designed to be installed between the opposing iianges 14 of a strip. f f

VA portion of the packing element 19 is deposited in an inverted strip and the latter then properly adjusted for application in its functioning position; Compression of the strip under the influence of thebolt and nut molds the cement element 19 into shape and position between the inner sides of opposing flanges let and against the surface of the blocks, the substance being pressed into the spacing and against the mortar composing the joints and constituting" an effective sealing element. Another result upon the compression of the strip as indicated is the pressing of the plastic cement against the sides of the fianges and encounj by the plastic cement is further compressed 1 and forced to fill all interstices. A surplus of the element is exuded through the bolt holes 6 thus further sealing the joint.

I have referred to the packing element 15 installable exterior tothe flanges under the strip. rIhis packing element is inserted by suitable tools, that is keyed in, under the laterally extending edges of the sides 13 as spaced from the blocks and preferably after the plastic cement has been compressed within the strip on the blocks. It is obvious that the introduced packing substance 15, which is not necessarily integral, can be made to fill the spaces for which it is provided both because of its own elastic nature and because" of the elastic character provided by the material and construction of the strip.

The packing element 15 providesan accessory sealer, andmeans ofk dressing the edges of the strip. l t f `A considerable degree of adjustability is provided for, since after installation the nuts may be tightened on thebolts to take up looseness in the engagementof strip with block. A strip is easily removablefor rreplacement of packing `or of strip.

Attention is called vtol .the structure and service of the upstruck guards 12, as illustrated inFig. l, thesefeatures serving as seats for the nuts, and'also as protectiver elements to prevent seepage Lof moisture around the nuts andr bolts inwardly to the strips and mortar. f e n Ajointsealed as I have described may be a connection ofelements secured together or not, the sealing means` being an eXtra. pre-y caution, or a protective or a decorative ex pedient. yMy device may be further employed in yother types of situations, for eX- ample, a long continuous strip may be used las a ridge element appliedto acontinuous edge or lsurface as distinguished from an edge or surface `constituted of blocks` or y kplates presenting transverse. joints; and means for securing a strip suitably .to suchy situation would be provided. y

What I claim and` desire to secure by Letters Patent is:` j, i y

1. .The combination with coping blocks of a sealer comprising a strip having tapering sides, the sides inbent and downwardly inwardly kprojected forming bearing fianges, packing elements positioned outwardly of said ianges, and bolts engaged with the strips and with the blocks and compressing the strip upon the packing elements.

2. A device of the character described including a metal strip having its longitu- Adinal` edges turned inwardly to form an underlap and downwardly to form supporting flanges, packing located within the spaces beneath the underlapped portions, and means for securing the Strip on a coping.

3. A device of the character described including ya metal strip having its longitudinal edges turned inwardly to form an underlap and downwardly to forni support ing flanges, packing located within the spaces beneath the nnderlapped portions and beneath the body oi' the strip between the flanges, and means for securing the strip on a coping.

4;. In combination with aligning coping blocks, a strip having inset ksupporting flanges at its longitudinal edges engaging the respective blocks, sealing material within the recesses formed by said flanges, and means extending through the strip and between the blocks for securing the strip to the blocks.

5. In combination with spaced coping having heads underlying the blocks to anchor the strip to the blocks.

6. In combination with spaced coping blocks, a strip overlying the space between the blocks having downwardly extended sides, backturned to underlap at the longitudinal edges and downturned at the inner edges of the nnderlaps to form supporting:

flanges, packing beneath the strip between the ilanges, packing beneath the strip exterior to the flanges, and bolts connected with the strip having heads underlying the blocks to anchor the strip to the blocks.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

THOMAS VVIGHT. 

